Chapter 7: The Two Mrs. Weasleys
Hermione was doodling idly on a scrap of parchment at the kitchen table. Three months had passed since Christmas, and her shape had rounded giving her what Ron called her "baby bump." Now well into her second trimester, Hermione often felt little flutters and kicks from the little one now sharing her body. Almost all of her anxieties about the baby had evaporated. Ginny and Harry were being extremely supportive, comforting her through her mood swings, and indulging her odd cravings. The Weasley's were all thrilled, even though the expectant couple wasn't planning to exchange vows just yet. Ron had been the best though. He was as eager as a house elf to fulfill every one of Hermione's needs. He rubbed her back, painted her toenails, and would lay next to her and just watch her with adoration.
Harry and Ginny had visited the Burrow often in the last few months, and the wedding was fast approaching. Mrs. Weasley was thrilled about every detail, and Ginny often rolled her eyes when her mother became overzealous about seating plans and the like. Not that Ginny wasn't having fun, but all she really wanted was to be with Harry. The color of the napkins didn't seem all that important in comparison.
Ginny walked into the kitchen quietly, and stood over Hermione's shoulder looking at the parchment. "Minerva? Gilderoy?" Ginny's said questioningly. Hermione spun around, pink faced. "You're going to name the baby after a professor?" she asked incredulously.
"Well, um, they're just ideas…" Hermione said awkwardly trying to cover the parchment with her hand. Ginny laughed aloud.
"Only you would choose a baby name from the Hogwarts staff list, Hermione." Ginny grinned, and Hermione grinned back, embarrassed. Just then, Ron walked in, muddy from de-gnoming the garden.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Oh nothing," said Ginny, "I'm going to go find Harry. But do me a favor, Ron. Don't let this one name my niece or nephew after a transfiguration
teacher." She teased as she skipped out the door.
"Huh?" puzzled Ron, confused.
"Forget it." Said Hermione, as she shook her head laughing. Ron shrugged and pulled up a seat next to Hermione.
"You're beautiful, you know." He said. Hermione blushed again, but smiled. "I can't wait to see you in your bridesmaid dress."
"Oh, Ron," Hermione scoffed "In a few weeks I'll be as big as the Fat Friar, and certainly the only pregnant bridesmaid."
"If I were Ginny, I wouldn't want to stand next to you. You've got that glow, Hermione. You'll be the loveliest woman in the room." Answered Ron. They embraced, kissing passionately, only to be broken apart by someone coughing and George's wolf whistle. Ron and Hermione looked up to see that Mrs. Weasley had entered the kitchen followed by most of her sons who she had recruited to help with dinner.
"Oh, dear." She said, flustered at the sight. Ron's ears turned bright crimson.
"Sorry, Mrs. Weasley," Hermione stuttered, "We were just going to see what Harry and Ginny are coming along with the guest list."
"Of course, dear. You two run along. I don't know how we're going to be ready for the wedding in just two weeks, with all there is to do…" So Ron and Hermione went up the stairs to look for Harry and Ginny, leaving Mrs. Weasley listing all the unfinished wedding duties to her less than eager sons.
Ginny and Harry were to be found sitting on the floor of Ginny's bedroom with lists and fabric swatches littered all around them. Hermione shuffled the parchment out of the way to make a space to sit on the floor, but Ron insisted she sit on the bed, while he sat on the floor below her.
"So, what're you working on now?" asked Ron.
"Well," said Harry "Ginny is once again debating the order in which the bridesmaids should walk down the aisle… Don't worry though, Hermione, your position is secure, being the Maid of Honor and all." Harry teased.
"What a relief." Said Hermione theatrically, and they all smiled.
"It's just that I don't know whether Luna should go first, or Gwenog." Ginny pouted. "Luna is like my sister, but Gwen can get a little touchy about these things. I don't want to insult anybody."
"Gin," Harry started, taking a deep breath as if he had said this all before, "It's our day. Who cares what anyone else thinks. We love each other, that's all that matters."
"Of course, you're right." Ginny said, snapping out of her worry. "Let's just make sure we've got the schedule for the rehearsal dinner. It's only a few weeks away!" she said, the edge returning to her voice. Harry shrugged. She was starting to sound just like Mrs. Weasley, but Harry sure wasn't going to be the one to point that out.
"Okay. Five O'clock the guests start to arrive. Five Fifteen, we do a quick run-through of the ceremony, so everyone knows what to do. Approximately Six o'clock, we sit down to dinner. Six forty-five, you and I will make our toast and thank everyone. And after that people can mingle and then the party will end around Seven." Ginny finished with a flourish.
"Whew!" said Ron, laughing.
"And don't you forget Ron, you're responsible for getting the brooms and quaffles set up. This is a Quidditch themed party after all." Ginny glared at her brother.
"Yes, Mother." He said sarcastically. Ginny shot him another filthy look, but ignored the comment.
"Harry," Ginny began, "Have you thought anymore about inviting your family?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "Ginny, I already told you, your family is my family. Of course, Hagrid is like family too, but I don't see why I should invite the Dursleys."
"Well, I just thought… I mean you're sure you don't want your only blood relations in the whole world at your wedding?" prodded Ginny.
"Yes. I'm sure." Said Harry. "They probably wouldn't even show up, knowing them."
"Well, in that case, I think we really aught to send them an invitation. That way, they will know we're getting married, but you won't have to see them."
"Ginny, why in the name of Merlin's beard does it matter to you what the Dursleys think?" demanded Harry.
"Well," Ginny blushed, "it's just that they're your family Harry, and I, well I feel like…" she hesitated.
"You feel like what?" Harry asked, one eyebrow raised.
"I feel like you're embarrassed of me, or something. You won't even tell your own family that you're marrying me! What does that say? It just makes me feel like you don't want them to know anything about me."
"Ginny," Harry began, "That is ridiculous. I love you and I have never been embarrassed that you are going to be my wife. If it means that much to you, of course we can invite the Dursleys. They won't show up of course, but they will know that I am proud to be marrying you, Ginny Weasley."
"Oh, Harry! Thank you so much! I know it's silly, but I just felt like you were keeping me a secret or something. So we're really inviting your family?"
"Yep. We'll send their invitation with all the others this afternoon at the owl office." Affirmed Harry.
"Which would be about right now." Said Hermione, making the couple aware of her and Ron's presence again. "We ought to be off to Diagon Alley before the owl service closes for the day. It's already Three O'clock."
So Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron collected the many shoe boxes that stored the invitations and went down to the kitchen fireplace. Traveling by Floo Powder, the group ended up in front of Eyelop's Owl Emporium, but instead of using the front entrance, they walked around to the back of the dingy shop.
A handmade sign reading "Owl Delivery Service" was nailed haphazardly over a dark doorway. Harry stepped in and cleared his throat.
"Ah, Mister Potter, I presume?" Came an old, creaky voice from the darkness. A man with piercing blue eyes stepped forward into the light. His skin was worn, but tough like dragon hide, and he projected an aura of strength despite his advanced age.
"Yes." Said Harry. "We made a reservation for a large delivery of wedding invitations."
"Of course, of course." Said the man, "We've been expecting you." And he beckoned for them to group to come inside.
As Harry's eyes adjusted to the gloom, he could hear rustling feathers all around him. A few jewel bright eyes glinted in the low light, and the soft hooting of many owls filled the air.
"Are those your invitations, there in the boxes?" Asked the man's voice. "Right then, place them down on the table here, and we'll take care of 'em. You can wait outside."
"Oh, okay." Said Ginny, and she took Harry's hand and led him out of the dark room. Ron and Hermione emerged from the doorway a few seconds after.
"Well, er, he was kind of a creepy bloke, wasn't he?" said Ron. The rest nodded in agreement. But before anyone else could say a word, two large doors where thrown open behind them, and hundreds of owls swooped out into the sunlight.
Tawny, barn, brown, and some snowy white, like Hedwig had been, all carried a beautiful white scroll of parchment tied with a red ribbon. They all watched silently as the birds swooped and beat their wings spreading the news of Harry and Ginny's love all over the magical world.